Comments on: Numb or Tingling Hands on the Bike

By: John

John — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 06:24:24 +0000

I remember reading in one of the cycling magazines that when riding your bicycle, it’s good policy to have your arms slightly bent, so that to absorb road fatigue, thus overcoming that problem of your full body weight on the handle bars. so you are quite right to say avoid this riding position.

By: Diane

Diane — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 11:40:23 +0000

Hi Sandi,

I am not a Doctor, but it sounds like you should go to the Dr. Sounds like you might have damaged some nerves.

Good luck!
Diane

By: Sandi

Sandi — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 01:54:21 +0000

I was pulling staples from my hardwood floor preparing to refinish it and because my knees are so bad, I can’t kneel, I was sitting on my butt putting pressure on my left hand for about 2 hours. Later I noticed numbness, tingling and muscle weakness. It is now 3 days later and I still feel the tingling. It’s feeling a little stronger, but I can tell it is not 100%. It’s the pinky finger up through my hand on that side and my ring finger to some extent. Will rest basically take care of this or should I go to the dr.?

By: Diane

Diane — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 18:17:14 +0000

Bethany, that’s great! Glad you are feeling better.

By: Bethany

Bethany — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 16:40:00 +0000

Getting a better bike fit helped! As it turns out my handle bars were way to wide for my shoulders. When they put on a more narrow pair, my pain went away! Thanks for the help.

By: Diane

Diane — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 11:10:18 +0000

Hi Bethany, sorry you are having discomfort. Bike fit would be my first suggestion. My second would be if you started wearing bike gloves, or if you changed your bike gloves. Sometimes they are too tight in certain areas that can cause discomfort. Good luck! Let me know if either of these suggestions help. –Diane

By: Bethany

Bethany — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 02:54:58 +0000

I have been biking for some time, but have just recently started greatly increasing my distances. I have developed some strange loss of strength in my left hand, particularly in my middle, ring and pinky fingers. You said the first thing to try would be to fix the bike fit, so I’ll go try that. Any other suggestions?

By: Karen

Karen — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 21:14:56 +0000

Thanks. I am looking into acupuncture in my area. I don’t trust allopaths anymore…big Pharma is too powerful and offers too many incentives to MDs these days. I don’t want to have steroids injected to take away inflammation or swelling. It’s probably a pinched nerve- I have many muscle knots in my neck and back, so yoga and acupuncture are my treatments of choice. Thanks for the good wishes. This will work out, one way or another.

By: Diane

Diane — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 21:09:24 +0000

Hi Karen,

That stinks, sorry you are suffering from this. Bike fit is the number one thing to try first. But, have you tried going to a physiatrist or sports doc to have them check your neck to see if possibly it is a pinched or swollen nerve radiating? Also, because you are new at cycling, you might be shrugging your shoulders that could show this symptom if you have an neck alignment issue. Good Luck!

By: Karen

Karen — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 19:21:51 +0000

I have just started cycling and find that I have numbness and tingling in my right hand which starts in the thumb, NOT in my pinky, so the ulnar compression/circulation issue is a non-starter for me. I have taken the bike in a few times for fitting and will continue, but I wonder if I somehow am pinching nerves high up in my arm and it gets exacerbated by the cycling? I have fallen onto my shoulder as a result of falls from horses about 3 times over the past 15 years. Could that have an “impact” on my hand issues? (sorry about the pun- I couldn’t resist!)